kick in
verb
kicked in; kicking in; kicks in
1
: to begin operating or having an effect : get started
waiting for the heater to kick in
2
: to make a contribution
3
slang
: die
Examples of kick in in a Sentence
if everyone in the department kicks in, we can give him an especially nice present for his retirement
the ornery cuss finally kicked in at the ripe old age of 90
Recent Examples on the Web
When the Olympics or any international competition is ongoing, the banter and needling will kick in amongst the fans of the two rival squads.
—
Dave Campbell, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Quarks crammed in tight can roam about freely, but try to separate them and the glue kicks in with a vengeance.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 6 Feb. 2026
Veteran Jason Myers hasn’t missed a kick in the post-season while the Pats rely on rookie Andre Borregales.
—Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
The state’s double jeopardy protections kick in if a jury has been sworn in a prior prosecution, such as a federal case, or if that prosecution ends in a guilty plea.
—Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kick in
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Dave Campbell, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Quarks crammed in tight can roam about freely, but try to separate them and the glue kicks in with a vengeance.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 6 Feb. 2026
Veteran Jason Myers hasn’t missed a kick in the post-season while the Pats rely on rookie Andre Borregales.
—Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
The state’s double jeopardy protections kick in if a jury has been sworn in a prior prosecution, such as a federal case, or if that prosecution ends in a guilty plea.
—Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kick in
Cite this Entry
“Kick in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kick%20in. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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